Summer can’t be over yet.

by Guest Blogger Keith Kaplan I ALBION COLLEGE: Brains (double-major honors student, Mortar Board, College Fellow) and brawn (swim team captain and an avid outdoorsman who most days can be seen paddling on the river that runs through his campus). Regular blogger. Co-founder of the eponymous DK Cookies (on Facebook!).

I still have a week or two before I start graduate school, but I felt like doing some reminiscing before I begin my adventures in New York City. One of my favorite parts of summer back home has been eating some seriously mouthwatering food. With more free time, I got to kick back and watch the Food Network, which always makes me super hungry and inspires me to make something delicious. I actually get to make a full dinner most nights. And let me say, when you cook your own meal and it tastes good, it’s very rewarding.

Here are some recipes and resources that I used for my cooking endeavors this summer. Bookmark this post for next year or tackle them in your last month of vacation!

Food Network: I’m a big fan. I made a lot of recipes from their Grilling Central page. A few weeks ago, I made one of Bobby Flay’s recipes for grilled pizza. I was somewhat skeptical at first because I’d never made a grilled pizza before, but after smelling the tasty goodness, I wound up eating the whole pie! Now if you prefer more meat in your meal (unlike the dinosaurs), check out the tasty marinades for chicken, steak, and even fish.

Whole Foods Market: I’m not ashamed to say that this is one of my favorite stores, if not my number one favorite. While super expensive for a college student’s budget, the food both tastes great and is good for you. What’s also incredibly delicious is their recipe section. Many of them are fresh, healthy, and easy to make. Download the Whole Foods mobile app if you’re in the search for a great recipe while you’re shopping at their store!

by Sunset/MyRecipes

Food Pair: A genius website for when you are short on ingredients, it allows you to search for recipes by entering the ingredients you have on hand. This came in handy a few times this summer when I was too busy to actually plan a trip to the grocery store. This weekend, I might try to make their Triple Berry Popsicle recipe. It will definitely be a refreshing escape.

by John Autry/Cooking Light

Cooking Light: Another great site for health-conscious eaters, their recipes make eating nutritious meals easy. My mom is always trying to find new recipes to make, and she always comes to this site when she cooks for me (thanks for all the dinners, Mom!). One recipe collection that jumps out to me is the College Care Package. I’m definitely going to be making some of these snacks for school this semester. Spice maple-cashew popcorn? Yum!

Paleo Diet Recipes: This site has even more great options for a different type of health-conscious individual. It takes a twist on different recipes and cookbooks on nutrition. You thought high fat diets were unhealthy? Think again. I’ve only tried a few of the recipes, one including the bacon and broccoli curried soup with almonds, and I thought it was phenomenal.

Now you’re probably thinking, “What I am going to eat when I go back to school?” Don’t worry! These sites also have some great quick and easy recipes to fit into your college lifestyle. Trust me, I used them all last year and made some awesome dinners. My friends were dying to have me cook dinner for them. If you happen to make a recipe that you want to share, feel free to send me a tweet at @KrazyKaplan14.

I wish you good cooking in the kitchen!

We value the diverse voices and fresh ideas that our guest bloggers bring to BookRenter.com. However, the ideas and opinions expressed in guest posts are strictly those of the post’s author and don’t necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of BookRenter.Com. The information in guest posts is often drawn from a variety of sources, and we count on our guest authors to verify and fact-check the content they post. BookRenter.Com makes no claims, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of guest post content or the suitability of the content for a specific purpose.